By Evan Regan
Unlike the previous decade, the difference between games that are releasing in 2026 and games released 10 years ago in 2016 is not that extreme. Many gameplay conventions were already established back then and haven't changed much since, and while graphics have undeniably improved, the jump in quality is not as extreme as the evolution between 2006 and 2016.
It's hard to deny that 2016 left a mark on gaming history. It was one of those years when it seemed like every release was another banger, a cataclysmic wave of exceptional video games that were day-one hits. These next games are now modern classics, just 10 short years into their existence, and it speaks to how fantastic 2016 was that there are another 10 games listed as honorable mentions that could easily make an argument for a spot on this list.
Dark Souls 3
The End Of All Things Dark Souls
There was a lot riding on Dark Souls 3. It was intended to be the conclusion of the Dark Souls trilogy. It saw the return of game director Hidetaka Miyazaki, who had stepped away from developing Dark Souls 2. Even more so, this was an opportunity to restore the series' reputation after the (perhaps unfairly) mixed reception to Dark Souls 2. Not only did Dark Souls 3 exceed those expectations, but it cemented the soulslike formula that is still imitated to this day.
It may not deliver quite as many iconic moments as the first game, but Dark Souls 3 has better balancing, more detailed armor and weapons, more versatile spells, and an all-around bigger, more varied world to explore. It features iconic bosses like the Nameless King and Pontiff Sulyvahn, and intriguing callbacks to the first two games in the series, rewarding long-time fans who have braved the Dark Souls series in its entirety and come out the other side hungry for more.
DOOM
The Boomer Shooter Comeback
The boomer shooter genre was breathing its last in 2016 after more than a decade of military shooters and post-apocalyptic RPGs dominating the FPS space. Then, along came DOOM, a reboot of the iconic franchise that helped pioneer the first-person shooter genre back in 1993. From the first shot fired, it was clear that id Software knew what they were doing with the property.
DOOM has all the speed, punch, and gore that made the original Doom games so popular, but it enhances those mechanics with modern polish. Instead of strafing around a flat room, movement in combat now involves navigating mini platforming loops that provide little cover but plenty of ways to approach your next target. Once they take enough damage, enemies can be dispatched with a brutal finisher, awarding health and ammo in return. It all works to move the boomer shooter genre into the modern gaming era, and given the two DOOM sequels and multiple indie hits like Warhammer 40k: Boltgun and Prodeus, it seems like it succeeded.
XCOM 2
Beat Back The Alien Invasion
The first XCOM game from Firaxis was a hit among strategy fans, but XCOM 2 took the series into the mainstream. Featuring the same tactical, grid-based combat system, XCOM 2 introduced new elements like melee weapons, a wider variety of alien enemies, and more unique mission objectives that require complex maneuvers beyond just shooting every alien in sight.
Between the base game and the War of the Chosen DLC, which added randomized alien bosses who could join any mission at any time, for many gamers, XCOM 2 was an obsession. The percentage-based combat made every attack feel like a gamble, while the customizable soldiers (only to lose them to permadeath) made every team feel like a squad of personalities rather than faceless warriors. Many tactics games have tried to iterate on XCOM 2, but none have quite nailed the quietly perfect balance that Firaxis achieved here.
Dead By Daylight
The Asymmetry Originator
At the outset, Dead by Daylight wasn't the sensation that it is today. The gameplay mechanics were a bizarre blend of survival horror and the objective-based stealth multiplayer from early Assassin's Creed games. It had the aesthetic of horror, but wasn't inherently scary on its own. And no one wanted to play a Survivor; everyone wanted to be the Killer. This last detail was what many thought would be the game's eventual downfall. Instead, Dead by Daylight has thrived.
Ten years in, it now features a ton of crossover characters in every role, from Ash from the Evil Dead franchise to the Xenomorph from Alien and Freddy Krueger from Nightmare on Elm Street. Nicolas Cage is even playable, and not as a character, either: he's just Nick Cage. The asymmetric gameplay style that threw off so many at launch has become a calling card, and countless imitators have cropped up based on other horror franchises like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Friday the 13th. None of them has managed to capture lightning in a bottle like Dead by Daylight, though. The game is still going strong today, with a rock-solid community of welcoming players and new content being added regularly.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Wrapping Things Up Like Only Nathan Drake Can
The Uncharted series was initially a complete trilogy — literally called "The Original Trilogy" by fans — but was followed up in 2016 by one final game: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Apparently, Naughty Dog wanted to bring Nathan Drake's story to a definitive end, and this fourth game was made to expand their flagship character's backstory before retiring him for good. It just so happens that the Uncharted games were some of the most beloved PlayStation games of all time, so this was no small task.
Thankfully, Uncharted 4 accomplishes everything it set out to do. It evolves the frantic, cinematic combat system by introducing a rope swing mechanic that makes traversal more dynamic and opens up new escape routes while allowing for more treacherous combat arenas. Every explorable area is bigger, with more side paths and an astounding amount of detail in the set dressing, which persists no matter how fast Drake moves through areas (like when he's being dragged behind a Jeep). The story, largely involving Nathan's older brother Sam, is a perfect finale for the series, making the conflict more personal while maintaining the Indiana Jones-esque adventuring that is so central to the brand. It's hard to imagine Nathan Drake going out on a better note than this.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
